The clearing
by Aryiana
Summary: Silly little drabble. Legolas and a girl who has been 'sucked' into ME lol. not really complete but i don't know if it will go anywhere......read and review!


He walked into the clearing knowing that she would be there, she was always there.

He could hear music coming from where she was.

The music of her world helped her bridge the gap that was slowly forming between her life there and her new life here. He wondered briefly what she would do given the option to return. Would she go or stay?

This questioning always unnerved him more than he liked, he was the sort of person to live in the now, always doing what came naturally as often as he could. The life of a prince, no matter how unwanted, did not allow him to do this as often as he liked. She changed that into something new, ever since she came into their lives he found himself worrying about the future more than ever, and it disturbed him.

As she normally did, she seemed to sense his approach and turned to look in his direction. She had been dancing and was paused mid move. She was very different to anyone he had ever known, he knew this was because she came from a world tainted. She had tried to explain what it was like many times and each time his respect for her grew. Things were not heaven here but it was so different and he knew he could not face her world. She had been thrust into a strange new world while walking along the street one day. She had adapted to the change better than anyone could expect but he knew all was not as it seemed she was reluctant to put specific details about her past into her descriptions of her world. When she got to close to the subject she always closed off.

He wished he knew what it was, but knew not to push the topic she had a lot of new friends, including him, and when she needed to explain she would tell someone.

He paused in his musings as she turned fully around.

"Your up early?" she asked him

He grinned at her "not expecting company?"

"Not really" she laughed

"I have to be in council in the hour, I wanted to get some air first"

"Ah, looking to escape more like" she grinned back at him

"Would be a nice idea but after the last time I think my father would murder me"

"Oh he wouldn't do that, maybe maim so you can't get away but not murder"

It was his turn to laugh at her.

"Your right, would not want a royal scandal!"

The song changed and he noticed that she did too.

"Are you ok?" he asked as she was bending down to turn it off

"Yeah fine I just have some things I need to do"

With that she picked up her things and left the clearing wishing him luck with his father.

----

While he was in the council of the higher elves he could not stop thinking about her and the solemn mood that sometime-although rarely- overcame her, like the one this morning. He knew that next time he saw her she would pretend that the whole thing had not happened.

-----

Walking back to her assigned room – assigned to that made it sound so temporary – I have been here for over a year now, she mused. I still remembered the day I arrived the newness of everything, despite what I know everyone thought I have not coped well at all. I am still confused about the whole situation, and although I loved the new life I have been making for myself (in fact it was all that I have ever wanted) I still wonder if I am going to return as I arrived, suddenly and alone.

I don't want to return I know that much, things were very different here and I know it is going to take a lot more time to get myself adjusted fully but so far I like things the way they are. The memories and the dreams are fading and I have every faith that they will disappear soon.

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The morning passed quickly and without event much as it normally did, she had more fighting practice, she had learned archery as best she could and now she was onto the more physical combat training. Most of the men, and in fact most of everyone, thought it was odd that she decided to learn all she could but she was so scared of returning she wanted to learn all that she could while she had the chance.

She loved being out in the woods surrounding the woodland town, She felt so free she could finally be herself now. No one here knew where and what she had come from and that in itself made her happier than she had ever been.

That was where she spent her afternoon, out in the woods going as far as she dared while she was on her own. Part of her longed to go on further but she had been warned not to and did not want to do anything to upset her situation.

Anyway she did not know enough about the world to be confident that she could take care of herself. She mad a mental note to ask what was out there and to explore the possibility of exploring further.

A sound to her left stopped her thoughts short. She turned quickly scanning the trees in the dim light that was filtering down from the distant treetops.

She could not see anything that was out of the ordinary and chastised herself for jumping at nothing. The noise had brought her back into the world, she realised that it was getting late and while in the clearing that housed most of the palace it would still be shining, soon, out here it would be a false twilight. Time to get back.

She turned and started to jog back to the clearing and more familiar ground, as she went she had the strange feeling that she was being watched from afar, she increased her pace unconsciously.

-----

As she ran it turned to watch her leave, yes she if defiantly the one it thought to itself. It shivered in anticipation and lopped off in the opposite direction.

-------

He had spent a very boring day in council with his father. They all knew he hated it and no matter how much he tried he could not seem to change that. Hopefully when it came his turn to be King it would mean more.

As the council split his father made to talk to him but was interrupted by one of the older elves of the court. With that distraction and the knowledge that is father would be stuck there for quite a while he made a fast exit.

It was getting dark by the time he reached the clearing. He had not even realised that he was heading there it was one of those times when your feet seem to talk control of you.

Even though there were many clearings throughout the palace and it's surrounding areas, to him, this had become The Clearing. It was empty, usually this would please him, he knew why it didn't. After a long day being a prince all he wanted was to be legolas and she made that happen.

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She finally reached the palace. Now that she was back into familiar territory she felt foolish for getting scared. There was no point in warning the guards about something she was not even sure was there.

Her feet seemed to lead her to the clearing. Time to climb some trees and have some time to think.

When she got there it was diserted. She did not know what she was expecting, no one really came here apart from her and Legolas. Legolas now there was something she did not want to think about. Each time her mind wandered to him her heart seemed to flutter. She knew that feeling, it was making her nervous around him. She was just going to have to ignore it until it went away. Well that's the theory at least she thought. She headed for her favourite tree. It reminded her of the Weeping Willows from Earth only it was bigger. She jumped up to the lowest branches and started to work her way towards the top. She had found a nice little space up there and built a small platform. It made things quite comfortable when you were up here for a long time.

The platform was about 5m by 5m. She guessed anyway as the metric system was not really a universal thing. She had brought some cushions and things up from her room to make it more cosy. Legolas was spralled on top of them. It looked like he was asleep but she knew he might not be, you never could tell with elves because they often slept with their eyes open. She edged closer to him, ignoring the fluttering, and leaned in as close as she dared. She knew the only way to tell if he was awake. She pulled the stupidest face that she could think of. He couldn't help it, he grinned. She leaned back and smiled at him.

"I knew you were faking"

"Couldn't resist" he replied with a shrug of his shoulders and a smile- more fluttering.

"How was your day? Were the council more boring than ever?"

"You know I think they might have even outdone themselves today" he seemed to be in a good mood, sometimes after councils or seeing his father it would take everything she had to get him to smile.

"How about you, any more mischief?"

"Oh only the usual, I explored more of the forest and acted a prat"

"a prat??"

She looked at him, he looked confused which was not a new look for him when he was around her.

"Oh we found another new word did we. Um I just got jumpy I could have sworn that there was something outhere looking at me, ergo I acted stupid"

"Something was out there with you? How far did you go?"

"Oh I don't know but it took about 3 hours to get back"

He seemed to change then" you should not have gone out that far! What if something had happened to you"

"What are you talking about, I was just being irrational. Apparently it's catching"

If he understood the sarcasm he did not show it

"You are not allowed to go out that far alone again"

"Not Allowed?…….you can't order me around like that."

"I can and will. I don't want you going out there alone again"

"you are insane, did you know that" she was so angry at him, how dare he order her. The fluttering had defiantly gone now.

"I have decided"

HER POV 

"What do you mean, you have decided?" I asked him. This had all taken a strange turn. One minute they were chatting about their days and now…what.

He took a step closer to me and held onto my arm, looking up into his eyes I froze.

"I don't want you to get hurt so you are not allowed to go out alone again. It's final I will tell the guards"

"You are worrying too much, there was a sound in the trees and I was being paranoid, it was probably a bird or something"

"You have lived here long enough to recognise something like that even if you don't realise it. Don't argue with me on this.

"Why not"

He was getting annoyed, i could tell although i had never been on the receiving end of it before. He did not realise it but he would make a good King one day.

"I am Prince here and what I say happens"

"Oh really and when was the last time that happened" Now it was my turn to get annoyed again.

"By the Valar do you know how exasperating you are. Just understand what I am saying" I looked into his face the annoyance seemed to be melting away. Oh well I thought his might be but mine is not.

"Like you said I have been here long enough, I can take care of myself. I am not a child you have to look after. Don't treat me like one"

"I know all of that" I couldn't identify what was going on in his head anymore.

"Then why are you telling me I cannot leave the palace without an escort I don't…" He leaned in closer to me an my breath caught in my chest"…understand"

He closed the last gap between us and his lips pressed into mine

Time seemed to stop as something I had wanted to happen for so long was coming true. My mind was desperately trying to work even when my body was trying to shut it up.

We pulled apart when my mind finally won over my body.

"This does not mean you have won you know" I smiled at him.

I earned a grin for that "I know I just could not resist"

I raised my eyebrows at him and pulled him towards me. This time my body won and my mind did not put up a fight.


End file.
